Fuel-oil-burning apparatus



Dee, 16, 1924. f

J. T. MQTARNAHAN FUEL OIL BURNING APPARATUS Fil'ed Deo.l 22. 1922 4 Shawls-Sheet 1 NWN.

MN. nm.

ATTO RNEY Dec, 16, 11924. 1,519,788

- J. T. MGTARNAHAN 'FUEL OIL BURNING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 192g asheets-sneet'z /N VEA/Tof? ATTOR NEY BYv Dec, 16, 1924.

E23 E25 l FUEL OIL BURNIG APPARATUS Filed Dee. '22. 1922 4 sheets-sheet s 285 3&3 /EFQ s 321 il 3 VEN TO F? I' Dec, 16, 1924'.

FUEL oiL BURNING Arnm'rus Filed D66. 22. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 will img

ATTORMSY''- Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES ganara PATENT ortica,

JOHN T. McTAnNAHANfor BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS; BY OPERATION or LAW To RALPH n. CAHoUnT, TRUSTEE 1N BANKRUPTCY or MQTARNAHAN runt. :ein BURNING conronATIoN, or noSToN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CoaPonATIoN or MASSA- l'.EUEZL-OllL-IB'U'RNI'NG APPARATUS. i

- To all 'whom it may concerm,

'Be it known that I, JOHN T. McTAnNA- nA'N, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bs'ton, in the county of Suffolk and State o' of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements ,in Fuel-Oil- Burning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to fuel oil burning apparatus, and more particularly to' the,1'egulation of the supply of fuel oil to the burner or burners. Fuel oil has a heavy viscous character which prevents the same from flowing freely at normal temperature,.and its viscosity varies owing to lack of uniformity 1n the characterofthe fuel oil anvariation in the normal temperature of the atmosphere. p Y For example, if fuel oil is f ed, under predetermined pressure threugh an orifice of a given size, heavy. fuel oil will flow therethrough at a slower rate than lighter fuel oil.

"The supply of fuel oil to the burnerv should be varied in accordance with the degree of heat'required, and this 1may be accomplished by a regulating valve which is adjustable tovprovide au orifice of varying 3o size through which the fuel oil may flow to the burner.

If this regulating valve is to serve to' coutrol the supply of fuel oil, it is essential tliat the viscosity of the .fuel oil. delivered to the valve should be uniform, and that the pressure forcing the fuel oil .to the valve should be uniform.

One of the purposes of the present invention, therefore, is to provide means for au- 40 t'omatically maintaining the temperature and the viscosity of the oilluniform, and means for automatically maintaining the pressure of the oil delivered to the regulating'valve uniform. 45 .-The fuel oil regulating valve may be con trolled by an automatic regulator, such,` 'for example, as disclosed in .my' copending application Serial No. 588,418, tiled September 15; 1922. This regulator is adapted tov t0 be operated in lresponse to valiationsinrthe pressure of Steam developed by agenerator to so regulate the vsu ply offuel oil tothe burner as to develop eat which will gene1"'` er, and on the other hand, if the pressure -fuel oil is fed automatically to compensate ate steam and maintain the same at sub- Stantially uniform pressure under varying load conditions. For example, if the pressure of the steam developed. rises, the regulator is automatically operated to 'reduce the amount of fuel oil delivered to the burnco of the steam developed lowers, the regulator is automatically operated to increase the supply of fuel oil delivered to thc burner. The mechanism is such that the supply of o5 for increase or decrease in pressure of steam developed by the generator, which in turn varies inversely with respect to the demand for steam developed by vthe generator.

TheA distance from 'thefuef oil supply tank to -the burnerv vareln different installations and where seve1al,bume"s 'are used, the distances of the respective burners vfrom the tank vary. The feed of the heavy fuel oil through the pipes to the burners produces .substantial friction bet'weenthe oil and the pipes, a'nd the longer the pipes, the greater the amount of friction; v It is desirable to provide means to compen sate for this variation in friction. Another 30 purpose of the invention, therefnre, is to provide a valve between the automatic regulator and each urnery which may be adjusted to compensate for this'variati-on in the friction, and where several burners are used, the valves therefor ma be adjusted so that the size of the fires t erefrom maybe equal. These valves may be set and rcmain as adjusted,so that during operation of the burner, there will be no need of manual adjustment or regulation of the fuel oil intermediate the automatic regulator Sind the firing point of the burner.-

The l'character of the invention -ma' be best understood by reference to the fo low-fea ing description of one good form thereof shown in the 'accompanying'.'drawings, wherein: 7

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation of a boiler equipped with oil burningapparatus embodying the invention Fig 1* 1s au elevation init erefor;

ign-2 is a sectional view of a val-ve referred te* of and pip- .l

to. be

rool

l Fig. 2a diagramshowing the shape -of the ports of the valve shown in Fig. 2;

'Fig 3 is a vertical section through the temperature responsive means for controlling the supply of steam to the jackets for heatifig the fuel oil delivered to the regulatingmeans and the burner, so as to maintain' constant viscosity of the fuel oil;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the ineans responsive to the pressure of the fuel oil-"for 'controlling the supply of steam to f the pump for forcing the fuel oil to the of the heaters for the fuel oil;

regulating'means and to the burner, so as to partly in section showing the oil andsteam regulating valves and means for adjusting thel same; and Fig. 9 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6.

AReferring to the drawings, and more particularly to 1, a boiler is shown therein of the Well kiiownBabcock & Wilcox type, comprising a drum 1 communicating with a front header 3 and a rear header 5, said headers being connected by inclined water tubes 7 provided with baffles 9 and 11. Be-

. neath the -water tubes is a combustion chaniber 13 having a front wall 15 anda bridge wall v17. The gases of combustion leaving the combustion chamber cross and recross the inclined water tubes' and leave the boiler through' the iiue 19 leading to the stack, said flue being provided with a damper 21 which may be automatically controlled b y means to be described.

A fuel o il burner or burners suoli as the burner 23 may 'project through the front wall -15 of the combustion chamber, and deliverthe fuel oil therein. This burner may be of Well known construction, and therefore, it isunnecessary to show and describel the same in detail herein. The burner may be of the type in which 'an atomizing fluid such,

for example, Vas steam is employed -to break up and atomize the fuel oil delivered from tank 'to a steam pump 29 of well known construction andincluding acylinder 31 for pumping the oil and a cylinder 33 for receiving steam for operating the piston'in the pumping cylinder.

l A pipe 35 leads from the cylinder 31 to a heater 37.' This heater, in thefpresen't instance, comprises a pair of cylinders or jackets 39 receiving coils 41 (Fig. 5) having their lower ends connected by branch pipes 43 with the pipe 35, and having their upper ends connected by branch pipes 45 with a pipe 47 connected by a union 49 with a pipe 51 leading to the valve 53 of the regulator 55.. The valve 53 in turn is connected by a pipe 57 to the burner 23. y Y

To supply steam for operating the pump,

the steam main 59 of the boiler may be con- .nected by a pipe 61 with a pipe- 63 leadto the steam cylinder"33 of the pump.

2uitable `means may be provided responsiveto the .pressure of the fuel oil delivered by the pump automatically'to Vcontrol the supply of steam to the pump'cyliiider 33, thereby to regulate the pressure of the fuel oil fed to the regulating means and to the burner 23. To accomplish this,

a fitting 65 is interposed in the pipe 63, and*- contains a valve l67 (Fig, 4). This valve is connected b a stem .69 with a head 71 secured to a diaphragm 7 3 mounted inthe cas-v ing 75 carried by a housing 77A supported ou the fitting 65.

A coil spring 79 encircles the stem and is confined between the head 71 and a'ilange S1 on a sleeve 83 receiving thestem and thread ed in a hole in a web 85 carried by the housphragm 7 3 to the pressure of the fuel oil deliveied through the pipe 35?" The construction is such 'that when the` the pipe 35 rises, the diaphragm 73 will flexed downward a ainstl the resistance pressure of the fuel oil delivered thro'ug the coil spring 79, t ereby moving the steilii"l 69 downward to close or reduce the opening provided by the valve 67,V and thereby'shut off or reduce the amount of steam delivered.

the burner, or'the burner may be of themc" to-the puiiip cylinder 33. On the other hand,

chanical type in which no atoii'iizing Huid is required, the fuel oil being mechanically atomized.- Q

The fuel oil for the burner may betaken from a suitable sourceofsupply such, for example, as the storage tank Suitable piping may be provided to conduct the fucl oil from the tank to the burner.` In the picsentinstance; a pipe 27 leads from the if thepressure ofthe fuel oil delivered by the l'pump thr'oii'ghthe'pipe 35 falls` the-pressure -fnthe casing 7 5" above tlie diaphragm 73 vwill be'fiefduced, `thereby allowingthe coil lao spring 79-to"`hift the stein 69'and'tli'e valve 67 upward so as to open saidvalve or ins..

crease the opening thereof,- and increase the supply'l'of steam delivered to the pump cylinrlei The coil spring 79 may be adjusted l nut 125 threaded on a sleeve 127 mounted web 129 carried by the housing 119.`

so that the. pump will'be operated to feed oil heater 37 by a pipe 93 leading from the steam pipe 61 referred lo, te brauch pipes 95 connected to the upper ends of the heater cylinders 39. The steam or condensation may be conducted from the cylinders 39 through a 'pipe 97 to a trapt-)9 connect/3d to a` pipe 101 leading to a'sump 103, a by-l pass 105 being provided for the trap.

Suitable means may be provided automatically to regulate the supply of steam to.

the heater cylinders 39, This means, in the present instance of the invention, comprises a fitting 107 (Fig. 3) interposed-in the pipe 93 and containing a valve 109. This valve may be connected by a stem 111 with a head 113 engaging the movable head 115 of the bellows-like diaphragm 117 mounted in a housing 119 mounted on the iitting 107.

A coil spring 121 is confined between the head 113 and collar 123 resting on a hand on a The upperA bead 115 of the diaphragm is connected to a pipe 131 leading to a thermostat 133 comprising a tubularv bulb 135 mounted in the union 49 referred to, in the pipe l51 leading to the-regulator A55. The tubular bulb projects downward through the'union 49 and extends a substantial distance into the uel oilv conducting pipe 47,

so that a substantialportion of the length of the tubular bulb may be surrounded by and subjected to the temperature of the fuel oil assing through the pipe 47.

ll ounted in the tubular b tube 137 communicating with the pipe 131,

The tubular bulb 135 may contain etherv for other liquid which vaporizes instantly' on a slight rise in the temperature of the `fuel oil surrounding 'the bulb 135, and the latter is not fiile' with the liquid, but has a sl'pace 139 abo e 'the level of 'the liquid to all. w the va or obe com ressed and create a pressure w icli is trans itted through the tube 137 and ta pipe 131, to the diaphragm 117. u J Therefore, as the tempexirature of tile fuel oil surrounding the bulb 13 rises, the pressure inthe diaphragm wil force the head 113idownward against the "esistance of the coil spring 121, thereb elo ng or reducing the vopening of the va ve 10 ,i s o as to cut off or reduce the supply of steam tothe heater cylinders 37, and thereby reduce the heating effec-t in said cylinders and n the fuel oil conductirnir coils 41 in said linders,

lOn the. other hand,when te temperatur of the-,fuel oil inthe 'pipe 7v lowers, the pressure ,in Vthe iaphragm 117 'will be reduced,V thereby a lowing the 'il springll 1b 135 is a' Smau 'ferred to, said valve casino to expand and open or increase the opening of the valve 109 so as to increase the supply of steam to the heater cylinders, and thereby increase the heating effect in the cyliu'- ders on the fuel oil conducting coils 41.

The hand nut 125 may be adjusted -to vary the tension of the coil. spring 121, so that the supply of steam to the heatcr'may be regulated so as to maintain the temperature of the fuel oil delivered to the regulator 55 and-the burner at the point desired. Thus, the predetermined viscosity of the fuel oil delivered to the regulator 55 may be controlled and maintained.

As stated, the regulator 55 may be Ysubstantially the same as disclosed in my said copending application.

This regulator comprises a pedestal 141 (Fig. 6) supporting a base 1113 having an apron 145 depending therefrom at one side of the pedestal, and having a plate 1&7 with arms 149=and 151 projecting laterally therefrom. One of these ams may support the voil regulating valve 53 referred to, and the other arm may support a valve 153 for regulating the supply of steam or other atomizing fluid delivered to the burner.

The oil vregulating valve comprises a cylindrical casing155 connected to the oil supipes 51 and 57. 'Mounted in the cylindrical casing 155 is a rotary sleeve valve v157 having opposed ports for communication with the pipes 51 and 57. The valve is fast on -a stem 159 projecting through a stuiiing box 161 on t e head of the valve casing, said stem being adapted. to be rocked by means to be described for giving the valve rotativeadjustinent to cause the valve ports toy turn with respect to the pipes 51 and 57, thereby to vary the effective open- -v of said ports and regulate the supply ot To enable` manual adjustment of' the valve, avplug 163 is mounted in the sleeve valve' and splined thereto. A stein 165 threaded in a bore in thev plug extends through a stuliin'g box 167 on the valve casing, and the-outer end of the stem is prostruction is such that the hand wheel may be manually rotated to adjust the plug longitudinally of the sleeve valve to vary the eiiectivc openings of the valve ports as required.

The valve 153 for controlling the supply ,vided with a hand wheel 169. The conof steam to the burner may comprise a cyu lindrical casing 171- connected to a pipe 173 leading from' the steam suply pipe 61 reg eing also connected to a pipe 175 which leads to the burner. Y e

.Mounted in the cylindrical casing 171 is a y sleeve .valve 177 having ports for communication with the pipes 173 .and 175. The sleeve valve hasa stem .179'efffured thereto 'end of the cylin projecting through a stuliing box 181 at one rical casing, said stem being adapted to be rocked by means to be described to give the sleeve. valve rotative adjustment and vary the relation of the ports thereof with respect to the pipes 173 and 175 so as to regulate the supply. of

valve. and splined thereto.

threaded into the plug and-projectslthrough atomizin steam as required.

To ena le manual regulation of the valve, a plug 183 'may be mounted in the sleeve A stem 185 is a stuing box 187 mounted on a. head of the Vvalve casing, said stem having a hand wheel 189 thereon. The hand wheel may be ro? tated manually, thereby to move the plug longitudinally with respect to the sleeve valve so as to vary the -effective openings thereof and regulate the supply of atom- 199 in the.terminals of the guide, the con? i' struction being such that the guide may be set at different positions of angular adjustment.

Opposed to the guide 195 -is a guide 201 having elongated slots 203 through which the bolts 197 project, the construction being such that this guide may be set in different positions of angular. adjustment.

Fast on the stem of the fuel oil regulating valve is a crank 205 provided with a roller 207 projecting into an elongated slot 209 of the guide 195.

Fast on the stem oi the steam regulating valve i's a crank 211 having' a roller 213 projecting into anclongated slot 215 in the guide 205. I j

The construction is suoli that when the cross head is reciprocated by means` to 'be described, the guides will slide relatively v to the crank rollers, andthcrcby rock the fuel oil and steam .valves to regulate the supply of oil and steam to the burner.

To reciprocate. the cross head, the rod 217 may have one end connected to the upper end of the cross head, and itsopposite end connected to an arm 219 scoured to the upper'v end of th e piston rod 221`connected to a piston 223 1n a cylinder 225 mounted on a @using 227 supportedon the base 143 referred to.

To move the piston 223 inthe cylinder 225,41 pilot valve 279 may have a pipe 281 for admitting hydraulic' pressure Athereto from any suitable source,'and the pilot valve may have an exhaust pipe 283 to allow rc= lease of the hydraulic pressure. l

To control the pilot valve, it may have a is a chain 327. which lextends over 'a roller stem 285 connected by a yoke 287 with the upper end of a rod 289, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a beam or lever 291. An end portion of this lever projects into the housing 227, and, has lugs 293- provided with knife vedges for engagement with a. forked bracket 295 secured to 4and projecting down from the top of the'hous- 'of which may be varied according to conditions as required.

-Mounted on the lever is a carriage 311 having wheels adapted to .roll along the upper edge of the lever. -A rod 313 depends from the carriage and serves to support a plurality of weights 315. the number'of which may be varied. The carriageV and weights carried thereby serve as a poise for varyin the effective` pressure Von the upper side o the 'diaphragm in opposition to the steam pressure on the under sidevofl lthe diaphragm.

It is desirable th'at when the piston 223 is moved downward, the poise shall -be moved inward on the lever, and. when the piston is moved upward, the poise shall lbe moved outward on the lever, in order to compensate for variations in the steam pressure on the under side of the diaphragm. I

To accomplish this, vin the present instance, a pair of arms 317 are secured to the piston stem 221, project laterally therefrom, and are connectedto the upper ends of rods 319 whiclrextcnd downward along the cylinder at opposite sides of the pilot valve and at opposite sides of the lever.' The lower ends of said rods are connected to a. head 321, to .which is secured the lower end of a chain 323 which projects upward over a roller 325 carried by the housing '227, and the oppositefend of the chainis connected l. to the poise. Also connected to the poise 1 o 2 329 carried by the outer end of-'the lever, and the opposite end of saidV chain..is com nected to a rod 331 carrying a plurality ff weights 333, thenumber of which ma-y' fibe` variedas required. The regulator described may also srvftti vary the draft of the. boiler .in'response to 'i variations in the pressure ofthe steam delveloped b the generator.- To4 accom lish` this, the amper v21 referred to, may' ave: 13

-. draft in response sure, the diaphragm will be reissen an arm (Fig. l) connected hy a flexible member 337 With-an eye 339 attached tothe piston rod 221,1said flexible member being uidelhjf suitable rollers 3511 and 343.

'When the piston moves downward, it will rock the dampen in one direction, aud a weight-3&5 carried by the damper arm will serve .to rock the damper in, the opposite;direotion'on upward movement of 'the thereby automatically to regulate the to variations in the steam pressure opere-ting through the diaphragm and the compensating mechanism to control the movements of the piston which is connected to the damper., l

The operation of the regulating apparatus will he readily understood from the loregoing description thereof. l the pressure of the steam developed by the generator rises above a desired predetermined steam ,prese ilexed upward, thereby-rocking the lever 291 upward. This movement of the lever will operate through the rod 289 andthe yoke 237 to shift the pilot valve to `admit hydraulic pressure into the cylinder 225 at the under side of the piston 223. This will cause the piston to move upward, and the latter through its rod 221 and the rods 319, will ull up and let out the chain 323 and enable t e weights 333 to operate lthrough the chain 327 and cause the noise to move outward on the lever, therehy increasing the pressure'on the diaphragm and causing the latter to flex downward and piston,

shift the pilot valve to out oli Nthe supply oi" hydraulic pressure tofthe under side of the piston.

The'upward-movementfof the piston will also operate through the rod 21'? to move the cross ,head 193 upward, thereby carrying the upward, and Vowing lto ztuides 195 aud-'201 the cranks on the Obliquity of said guides,

the fuel oil valve and the steam valve stems will'lee given a rocking movement, thereby .adjusting said valves so as to' reducek the diaphragm yunicum; of oil and atomizing steam deliveredftothe hurner.

'0n the other hand, if the pressure of the steam developed by the generator drops lielow the selected standard steam pressure, the will' dex downward, and the l lever 291fwill rockdownward, thereby shiftward and .draw

inc; the pilotvalve in a direction* opposite to its previous movement to admit hydraulic pressure into the cylinder above the piston. This will cause the piston to move down# the poise inward along the lever, thereby reducing the pressure on the -upper side of the diaphragm and allowing beneath the diaphragmthe steam pressure 'y to flex the latter upward and operate the pilot valve to out oil the supply (ii-hydraulic pressure to the upperside ol the piston.

The downward movement of the piston will move the cross head downward, thereby carrying the guides l95 and 201 downward, and Owing to the Obliquity of the latter, the cranks for the oil and steam valves will be rocked in a direction opposite to their previous movements, thereby to increase the. openings of the oil and steam valves so as to increase the amount of oil andsteam delivered to the burner.

lf the movement or' the piston is not sutilcient to vary the amount of fuel oil and steam delivered to the burner, as' required to return the steam pressure to the predetermined amount, the piston will progressively and gradually receive movements until the valves have been properly regulated to bring the steam pressure to the predetermined pressure.

'lho means for automatically controlling' the viscosity oil the oil, and the means for automatically controlling the feeding pressure of the oil, insure delivery of the oil to the regulating valve 53 under continued uniform conditions, so that variation in the opening of the oil regulating valve will re- ,I

portion to the oil delivered to the lourner` under the` control of the oil regulating valve 53.-

' lt is desirable to provide valves between the regulator and the `lmrner which may be set to rovideorifices of predetermined size through which the fuel oil and the atomizing steam may pass to 'the burner. 'lo aocomplish this, in the present instance or" the invention, valves 34:7 and 349 (Fig. l) are respeotively interposed in the pipes 57 and 17 5, and since these valves are similar, a, description'of one will suce for both.

These valves may `each comprise a fitting 351 (Fig. 2) having av tapered bore 353 in which. is fitted a tapered valve '355 having diametrically opposed diamond-shaped ports 357 therein cooperating with similarly shaped ports 353 in said fitting. `Fast on the valve isa handle 359 provided with a pointer 361 adapted to move over a graduated dial 363.

The construction is such that on grasping the handle '359, the valve may be rotatively adjusted to vary the edeotive openings of: the diamond-shaped ports 357, and owing to the shape of these ports, a desirable nicety'ot adjustment may e obtained. The pointer and dial enalole ready visualization or' the adjustments of, the valve and the size of the edad tive openings. v, When these valves have been adjusted for certain conditions, they remain set and should not be touched by the attendant, since the control of the supply of fuel oil and steam to the Tourner is automatically' governed hy the regulator which adjusts the oil-valve 53 and the 'steam valve 153,

` to serve one boiler,

. from the oil Referring to Fig. 1a, a plurality of burn-y y.branch pipes may be provided with a usual valve 373 by Whlch the supply of oil to the burner may be turned on or oli' as-desired.

The atomizing steam may be conducted to the burners through a pipe 375 leading from the boiler, and connected by branch pipes 377 with the burners. Each of these branch pipes may be provided with a valve 379 which may be similar to the valve shown in Fig. 2, and each of said branch pipes may be providedfvvith a usual valve 381 by which the supply of steam lto the burners may be turned onor off as desired.

The burners at the left of Fig. 1a are more remote from the oil supply tank'than'the burners at the right of said figure. The consequence is that the oil fed to the burners at the left of said figure will experience more friction than the oil fed to the burners at the right of said ligure. However, the valves 371 in the'branch pipes leading to the burners may be adjusted to compensate for this variation in friction, so that the size of the liames issuing from kthe burners will be the same.

Similarly, the valves 379 in the branch pipes leading from the steam pipe may be relatively adgusted to compensate for the va- Vriation in frictionof the steam delivered to `the burners, so that the pressure of the steam and the atomizng eHect thereof will be the same at all lof the burners.- l

In some instances a mechanical burner or burners may be employed, that is, a burner which is constructed to break up or atomize the fuel oil meehanicauy, and withoutthe anecessity of employing steam or other atom izing fluid. v

It Willbe understood that the invention is Anot limited to the specific embodiment shown,

apparatus comprising",

the amount of fuel oildelivered to the burny l er, and means for automatically regulating 'the temperature and pressure ofthe 'fuel oil 4w delivered to the regulatin means.

2. The combination with a boiler -of a f burner therefor, means for conducting fuel oil from a source of supply to the burner, means responsive tothe pressure of Steam de-` 565 veloped by the boiler for automatically regulating the amount of fuel oil delivered to the.. burner, a heater for heating the fuel oil de--j livered to the regulating means, means to supply steam-from the boiler tothe heater,\7`0 a valve forregulating the amount of .steam ldelivered to the heater, and means for auto-,y

matically controlling said valve including a thermostatv having an elementI introduced into the path of the oil vbetween the heater 75 and the regulating means.

v3. The combination withy a boiler,o f a burner,emeans for conducting fuel' oil [from- 5 f a sourceof supply to the burnermea`n's for:

automatically regulatingl the amount, of-'vfuel v8o l" oil deliveredto the burner, said regulating means being operable in resonse to the pressure of theisteam developedy the'boiler, and means for automatically maintaining .uni A form the temperature and pressure of nthe -S fuel oil delivered to the regulating means. i

JoHN T. MCTARNAHAN- a burner, means for conduct- 56 j y 

